The Church Series

INTRODUCTION: We are continuing our series on names or titles for the church. So

far we have covered the church being: a LightHouse, a Bride, a Body, an Army, and

this morning, a Community.

A while back someone told me of a “block party” they participated in. The whole block

organized a time of getting together, eating, getting to know each other better -

building a stronger community. We as the Church we NEED to grow as a community

- community of believers mentioned in the Acts 2 & 4.

I. THE OVERALL PICTURE / PURPOSE

A. Purpose (verse 42) - They devoted themselves to:

1. Teaching 2. The Fellowship 3. Worship (Breaking of Bread) 4. Prayer

B. God’s Moving (verse 43) - Everyone was filled with awe:

Signs and Wonders - look at Joel’s prophecy that Peter addressed the crowd

with in Acts 2:17-21.

II. UNITY - verse 44 - All the believers were together and had everything in

common.

Colossians 3:12-14

Psalm 133:1 ~ How good and pleasant it is when brother live together in unity!

III. COMMITTED

verses 44-47

Commitment not comfort ~ Acts 9:15,16 ~ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This

man is my chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and

before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for My

Name.”

John 12:25 ~ The man who love his life will lose it, while the who hates his life in this

world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I

am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Being committed to Christ like this, should produce our being committed to a

Church body - A Christian community.

Read Nehemiah 4:6-15 ~ The People had a Unified Vision / Goal of completing the

Wall around Jerusalem, and with this became a closer-knit community, even through

the obstacles which came upon them.

IV. GOD’S BLESSING

verse 47 - enjoying the favor of all people... ... Lord added to their number

daily those who were being saved. (also verse 43)

II Chronicles 7:14 - if my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves

and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from

heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

CONCLUSION: ~ Read Acts 4:32-37 ~

A healthy Christian community attracts people to Christ. The Jerusalem church’s

zeal for worship and brotherly love was contagious. A healthy, loving church will grow

in numbers.

Are we a community within our church? Are we there for each other?

Do we want the close-knit fellowship / bond of a community within our church?

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Do we know the overall picture / purpose of our church (as a community)?

Do we have the unity we NEED for a close-knit community?

Are we committed to our church as a community?

If we know the overall picture / purpose of our community, if we have the unity

we NEED for a close-knit community, and If we committed to our church as a

community, then we will be seeing the results of the First Church mentioned in Acts

here.

**THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

**A healthy Christian community attracts people to Christ. The Jerusalem

church’s zeal for worship and brotherly love was contagious. A healthy, loving church

will grow in numbers.